The Siren's Legacy
by OnyxHarmony
Summary: (( This is my ninjago oc, Deity's Origin story. This is all canon to her existence in the Grumpy Zane verse and timeline. This fic is rated T for future angst and heavy topics. Editia, Deity, Iris and Laria belong to me.)) A farmer and his wife are tired of trying..maybe, this time things will go right. But what will the future hold?
1. Defeated Cries to a Stormy Sky

Nine years...they'd been trying for nine years after they had gotten married to have a child.

Iris didn't really mind if it was a boy or a girl, but it seemed as though Editia was beginning to give up.

She hadn't talked about having kids in a few weeks.

Iris slowly took his hat off, sitting on the shore of the beach outside the village.

Kibo village rested just a hundred miles from Ninjago City. It was a bustling city that had been built over eight hundred years ago. A legend was attached to the story of how Ninjago city was built. It always started the same way. A supernatural being bestowed an ability on a builder to help him finish the project early.

"A supernatural being? What, like an Oni? I suppose it's possible." Iris chuckled to himself, staring at the gentle waves that washed over the shore. "Who knows, maybe there are some beings out there that help folks." He sighed, running his calloused fingers over the brim of his hat. It wasn't their ages that played a role in the problem of conception, seeing as Iris was thirty six, and Editia was thirty four. They'd been trying for nine whole years, since Iris was twenty seven, and Editia was twenty five. Plenty of people his age had kids that were born recently..and biologically, too. Iris didn't mind the idea of adopting, but he had wanted a kid of his own. Looking up at the sky as a storm rolled in, he put on his hat to keep his head as dry as possible. He liked sitting out in the rain..it reminded him that storms weren't entirely destructive forces of nature.

Many plants and animals relied on rain for survival.

As the first raindrops hit the ground, Iris watched the way the drops broke and rippled over the surface of the ocean. "Peaceful, really. Rain helps a man think..."

As the pouring rain got worse, Iris moved to sit under a rocky cliff on the beach and watched the rain pour over the ocean and land. Taking a breath, he leaned back against the rock behind him, staring at the waves. "I would do anything just to see something other than a frown cross her face when I talk about kids...anything at all."

Sitting up to peer out over the waves, Iris could've sworn he saw a large tail fin slip back into the water-but the rain was coming down too hard for him to make out what species of fish or ocean dwelling mammals it was. "Ah...maybe it's a dolphin...hope the poor fella or lady doesn't get beached in this storm." Iris stretched and got comfortable, thankful he'd picked a spot away from the tide coming in. "I wonder what it'd be like to have a little daughter...teaching her the right way to cultivate the soil so the flowers thrive, which flowers and vegetables should be planted in which season...seeing Editia so excited to finally have someone to teach.." He wiped his eyes. "Damn.. the thought is enough to make my heart hurt...it's been nine years. At this point all that would help is divine intervention...if it really exists."

As Iris ponders his choices and the possibility of giving up, a rather strange woman is peering around a large rock from the water.

Laria hopes that this man can't see her.

After all, sirens are supposedly myths. No human has seen one.

She'd been listening to his woes for an hour, and despite staying mostly away from humans for the past several hundred years, this human interested her more than the woman running the tea shop near the forest.

He wanted a child...?

Laria silently watched him draw in the sand with a stick, pondering his plea as the rain continued. Despite being the original master of song, she was also a siren..she did have the ability to grant one wish to a human being in her lifetime. Perhaps she could grant his wish for a child. She had just never found a human being worthy of it. Not to mention, she tended to stay in hiding as humans hadn't exactly been kind to sirens over the centuries.

Some humans hunted them for sport-some for revenge.

Not all sirens were neutral or even kind, like she was. Some were vindictive and spiteful, luring sailors to their deaths so they could feast upon them.

Laria shook her head at the thought, sighing. She had more of a taste for fish and being alone. She saw the man lift his head to peer out over the ocean, so she ducked down under the water to avoid being seen.

Iris readjusted his hat, then rubbed his face.

Laria frowned, slowly lifting her head above the surface of the water so she could see him.

This man looked tired of trying, and worried about the future.

Thunder crashed in the sky as the storm raged on, causing Laria to grip the rock to try and hold on as the waves grew choppy.

Iris peered out over the ocean, lost in thought. "Maybe we'll give up and adopt. It wouldn't be the same, but I know Editia and I would love any kid as our own." Shifting his position in the sand, he tugged his hat off and sat it aside. Running a hand through his hair, the brunette man's blue eyes looked down at the sand in defeat. "Maybe Editia and I ain't built to have kids naturally." Iris shook his head and picked up a shell out of the sand, running his thumb over the ridges in it.

Editia would like this pretty little shell.

Laria watched the defeated gaze of this man and slowly swam closer, staying under the water now.

He truly deserved the one thing she could give in her long life.

It wouldn't kill her, but it did take a lot of power. Slowly rising up out of the water near the shore, the blonde, lavender eyed siren looked at the man sitting under the cliff.

Iris couldn't believe his eyes.

There, leaning against a rock near the shore...was a siren.

He watched her tail fin lazily sway just under the surface of the water as the rain lessened to a drizzle. "Am...Am I seein' things?" Iris rubbed his eyes as Laria chuckled.

Humans were a little funny to her. "Maybe you are. We're a myth, aren't we? You truly wish for a child, do you?"

Iris silently nodded, watching this siren before him. "We...We've been trying for nine years, Miss."

Laria nodded as she listened to him. "What is your name, sir? Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you."

Iris takes a breath, swallowing a little. "My name is Iris Fair, Miss. What's your name?"

Laria lifted her head from staring at the water, giving him a smile. "My name is Laria. My kind don't tend to have surnames, but...yours is rather nice. Nine years...my, you must really wish to have a child with this woman."

Iris chuckled a little and scratched his stubble covered cheek. "I do. I love Editia with all my heart. Have from the first moment I saw her."

She nodded, tracing her finger over the surface of the water. "I see...and I take it you've almost given up on trying for a biological child. I believe I can help you. Tell me, have you and your wife decided whether or not you would like a son or a daughter?"

Iris had to think about that. He was a bit of a forgetful man, always had been-so it took him a moment to remember the first discussion they'd had after getting married. "If I recall, Editia and I don't really mind if it's a boy or a girl...but I know we had talked about having a daughter first, though we'd be happy with either."

Laria watched Iris. "This is what the both of you truly wish? I see..."

Iris swallowed in slight fear. "Did you need anything in order to make this happen, you know I'd do any-"

Laria held up her webbed hand to silence him, shaking her head. "No, this is a gift of life...kind sirens like myself gift a wish to human beings deserving of a kindness, since they have struggled so much. I will not ask anything of you for this wish, but...tell me, what is today?"

Iris tilted his head. "Today? It's May twenty-third."

Laria nodded, watching Iris. She slowly shuts her eyes for a few moments and stays still...before opening her eyes to stare at the water. A shaky breath leaves her-and with it some lavender wisps seep from her mouth.

The scent of lavender that fills the air calms Iris, and his eyes shut for a moment.

The stress is gone.

Renewed will fills his heart.

Laria seems tired, now. "I see...please, try again a week from today."

"What did you do?"

"You will soon see, Iris. One gifted from the sea will soon enter your life."

Iris frowns, watching the Laria and walking a little closer to the shore where she is resting on the rock in the water. He kneels down in the water, making sure his knees hit the sand. "Are you alright, Miss Laria? You seem so tired after shutting your eyes for a bit. Do ya need to go back in the water all the way? Like fully submerged?" Iris carefully reaches forward and cups Laria's slightly scaly cheek in his hand, watching her eyes to check for any signs of fatigue or distress.

Laria can't help but chuckle at this man's kindness. "Iris..." She sighs and slowly moves his hand away from her cheek. "I am alright. Giving a gift so large does take a bit out of me, but it's not life threatening."

He only nods, slowly pulling away from Laria and standing up out of the water. "Please, take care of yourself Miss. And thank-" A large wave crashes along the shore and over Iris, and as soon as it calms and moves away...she's gone.

The rock she was leaning against is empty, as if she were never there.

Iris rubs his eyes, a little confused as he begins walking back toward the village and his house to see his wife. One of the many thoughts running through his mind seems to stick out, as he questions his mind and sight. 'Was she ever really there at all?'


	2. An Unkind Sky

Five years ago, fate had gifted Editia and Iris the impossible. A baby girl, who they'd named Deity.

Iris thought it was only fitting, seeing as her conception had _almost_ seemed like an act of divine intervention.

Lifting his head from chopping vegetables, Iris watched Deity pleading with Editia to tell her how they met.

Editia chuckled a little, lifting the bright eyed five year old up into her lap after sitting down. "Alright, alright. You wanna know how your dad and I met, huh?"

Deity claps her hands together and nods, peeking at her father in the kitchen. "And then, then we can eat dinner after the story, and go outside and watch the sunset."

Editia chuckled again and rubbed Deity's head, tugging on a wavy curl. "Alright, but the story does tell you a bit about mommy's old job...is that okay?"

Deity only nodded, getting comfortable on her mother's lap.

Editia took a moment, trying to think of how to properly tell the story. "About..oh, I think it was about sixteen years ago..I was eighteen, and your father was twenty." She shook her head. "Anyway, ages aside, sixteen years ago in Kibo village...there was an assassin. The Nightingale-that's me." Editia tugged on Deity's cheek, hearing her giggle. "No one was faster than me, or stealthier than me. I took all kinds of rather...questionable jobs. Sure, it wasn't the most stable line of work...but I did what I could to get by. I'd been on my own since I was about fourteen, after all." Editia knew Iris was listening-but she knew he didn't mind Deity knowing this story. "One day, I got a contract to kill."

Deity's eyes slowly widened. "Momma killed people?" She gasped and hid her face behind her stuffed Oni toy.

Editia patted her head. "I used to, Sunshine. Let me finish, okay? Now, a certain farmer in the village had racked up an extremely heavy debt with a bunch of bad people."

Iris chuckled from the kitchen. "Yeah, I used to bet on falcon races a bit too much before I met your mother."

Editia shook her head and chuckled. "Yes, yes you did. I came behind him when he was working in his garden and tossed a small pouch of sleeping powder at him, and he was out in an instant. I took him back to my hideout but...he smiled when he woke up from the powder and saw my face."

Iris poked his head out of the kitchen, pointing a knife in Editia's direction. "Ain't my fault you've got such pretty hazel eyes, my Flower. But my fascination with your beauty did get you to freeze up and let me go after you stared at me with that blush on your face. Ya looked like a doe caught by a hunter. All confused and wide-eyed."

Editia rolled her eyes and turned a little pink, turning back to Deity as Iris went back to chopping vegetables. "Yes, I did let him go...I felt like someone had stabbed me in the chest after, but I let him go. I tried my hardest to forget about him and kept taking jobs in many other villages...but somehow, he always found me."

Iris chuckled from the kitchen again. "Kinda hard not to smell ya, Flower. You always smelled like fresh jasmine from my garden, so I knew where you'd been. Anyways, Deity...I finally showed up at one of your mom's jobs with a small bouquet of blue roses. I hadn't quite perfected the crossbreeding, so they were a sky blue."

Editia shook her head and smiled. "Yeah, and now you grow them in the garden permanently. We talked until sunrise after I let the guy go that I was supposed to kill."

Deity tilted her head at her mother. "And then what happened?"

Iris poked his head out of the kitchen and wiped his hands, coming over and picking Deity up. "Then we lived happily ever after, and had a bright ray of sunshine come into our lives after a while. Now come help me get dinner ready." He paused when he saw the sky outside the window darkening, shifting Deity to hold her in one arm.

Deity pouted. "Aww...now we can't see the sunset.."

Iris shook his head. "Nah, we can't but-" He stood still, holding Deity a bit more securely.

Those clouds were coming in fast..dark and ominous looking.

"Editia, darlin'...you remember what I told you that night we talked until sunrise about Kibo village getting some real nasty thunderstorms before?"

Editia frowned and came into the kitchen behind Iris, seeing the dark clouds rolling in faster. "Of course I do! You once told me it was so bad that your parents had to evacuate." She swallowed. "Are you saying this is one of-"

Deity jolted in slight shock upon hearing the first crash of thunder in the sky, curling in her father's arms.

They'd had bad storms before, but only one bad enough to evacuate.

"I ain't sure, Flower. It could be, it could not-" Iris's eyes widened when one of the houses on a hill was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Houses in this village were mostly wood, so it was time to evacuate.

Iris handed Deity off to Editia while he packed what they could carry. He made sure to grab Deity's stuffed Oni toy, chuckling a little at the fangs and horns on the packs up on his back, Iris mentally checked what they had as they walked out the door.

Food, water, clothes, medical supplies...some of Editia's weapons for self defense and maybe hunting if need be.

Handing Deity the stuffed Oni doll as they headed along the evacuation route, Editia shook her head and tugged Iris off the path to a faster one-toward Ninjago City. She shifted Deity in her arms, as Iris shook his head.

"You sure about this, Flower? We're supposed to-"

Editia shook her head again and kept walking, swallowing when she heard another thunder crash, and turned around to talk to Iris. She lost her words when she saw a lightning bolt strike a barely a hundred feet from them.

Maybe seventy five feet.

"Iris, we need to run!" As Editia and Iris ran with Deity, the lightning strikes began getting closer.

Iris shoved his wife and child out of the way as a bolt neared...and struck him down.

Editia watched the light leave his eyes almost instantly, as lightning caused instantaneous cardiac and respiratory arrest in some strikes.

Gone.

Her husband and Deity's father was dead on the ground before them. Editia ran a good distance away from Iris, and then sat Deity down on the ground after they reached the top of the hill. "I'm going to go get Daddy, you stay right here...okay? Hide under a tree if you must."

Deity didn't understand what was going on, her bright sapphire eyes filling with tears that spilled down her cheeks. "Is...Is Daddy okay? What was that? Why did the light from the sky make him take a nap?" The little girl shook, squeezing the stuffed toy as though it might help ease her confusion.

Editia gently stroked her cheek. "I'll answer all your questions soon. I'll be right back."

Deity shakily nodded, as Editia stood up and began running back to where Iris lay. But as soon as Editia got all the way down the hill, Deity saw the bright flash again...and saw her mother drop. Running down the hill as fast as her legs can carry her, Deity made sure to listen first. The thunder sounded a bit further away, so she walked to her mother and knelt down, gently shaking her. Editia's skin tingled against Deity's fingers. "M...Momma? Get up, Momma. This isn't funny..." She frowned and shook her mother harder. "Momma, it's not nap time, daddy is prolly awake and waiting for us...-" Deity sniffled and laid her head on Editia's chest, wanting to hear her heartbeat. The color slowly left her face when she heard silence inside. Lifting her head back up, Deity started to cry.

Of all the things her parents taught her, she knew that they had said when you didn't hear a heartbeat..that person or animal wasn't coming back. She wiped her eyes and picked up her stuffed monster, watching her mother's body.

Deity had remembered when her dog had died last month.

Scratches had been pretty old.

They'd let her hear the silence in his chest so they could properly explain why he wouldn't wake up.

She couldn't lift her mother to bury her like they did Scratches. So she carefully lifted Editia's arm up and tucked her stuffed monster under her mother's arm, putting it back down so Editia was holding it. Deity wiped her eyes again and forced herself to smile at her mother. "I...I love you, Momma. I see you later, maybe."

Heading off in the direction her mother had been going, Deity finally found her father and watched his empty expression, nodding to herself. "Papa is gone too...that's okay...maybe he can see Momma.." Deity dug around in the discarded packs until she found a few vegetables, she also pulled out her father's favorite handkerchief-he often used it to tie around his forehead to absorb sweat while he worked in the garden. It was clean now, so she tucked it in her pocket. "Papa, I see you later too, okay? You and Momma are too heavy for me to carry. I'm gonna go get help. I love you.." She kissed his forehead and began walking away with the food and water.

Her mom had said they were going to the big city, right?

So that was the path she followed. Deity swallowed in slight fear as she walked along the forest path, knowing she was near the storm again. She made sure to listen for the thunder as she walked in the rain, slipping and falling in the mud. "Ouch..stupid ground!" Deity got up and wiped her eyes again, kicking the ground as she wiped mud off her chin.

As she traveled, Deity kept an eye out for anyone coming down the mountain to help her at least bury her parents and get to a safe shelter from the storm. No one so far...she was getting a little tired. Stopping to eat and drink something, Deity tried to remember how far away her parents had said the city was. "Momma said..big city too many footsteps to count. Maybe...two days?" Deity looked at the sky getting darker as the storm raged on. "Almost sleep time..no sleep, gotta keep going." She nodded to herself, prying the seeds out of her eaten apple and planting them in the muddy soil. "There. That's better." Dusting herself off as she stood, she gathered her things up and began walking along the path again. She didn't know how to tell time too well yet, but she knew the sky was getting darker, so more time had passed..and the rain was getting stronger and harder to see through.

As she walked, Deity felt a strange breeze blowing through. It smelled a bit like ocean air-but she was nowhere near the beach. Maybe she was just tired and imagining things. Then, she heard it.

A loud crash of thunder, much too close.

Deity began to run, smelling the ocean air again right before a bright flash surrounded her. It was over just as soon as it began, but...she was alive?

Was she?

Everything was black and she couldn't see.

Deity calmed when she felt a wet hand on her face-but it was gone as soon as she had felt it. Despite the ringing in her ears, Deity could hear muffled talking, which became clearer as the ringing subsided. Over the weak pulsing of her heart in her ears, she could barely make out the raspy voice of an older woman, focusing on the one phrase she spoke when she got close.

"My...look at you. Come out here for tea leaves after the storm and find a child. Come on now, let's get you fixed up."


	3. A Parting Gift

Mystake passed by the spare bedroom on her way to the front of her shop, letting out a sigh at the bandaged child shaking and whining on the bed. She wasn't sure if she'd make it-all the herbs and teas she'd tried hadn't worked-the teas she could find, anyway. The doctor from the city had said the likelihood for her survival was slim, but it surely wouldn't hurt to try. Lost in thought, Mystake almost didn't hear the bell ring when someone entered the shop. Heading toward the front now, she grumbled. "Welcome to-" Spying the blonde siren entering her shop, the old woman grinned. "How long has it been since you had legs, Laria?" Grumbling and gripping a nearby counter, Laria wobbled as she walked to the main counter. "Longer than you've had this tea shop, Oni." Mystake chuckled and turned around to the shelves, while Laria laid her head on the counter. "Stabilizing tea with anemone, right?" A shaky grunt of confirmation was her only answer, so she began making the tea. "How have you been? I haven't seen you since you settled in Ninjago.." She paused in preparing the tea, looking over at Laria. "You remember that far back? that was nearly five hundred years ago." Laria paused, now staring at the counter in thought, a blank look on her face. "I think so, that was when I came out of the water for the first time, though you could've been here longer than that." Mystake chuckled and sat the cup of tea down. "Oni fled shortly after Ninjago was created, Laria." She nodded, looking back down at the cup before frowning. "Do you have any octopus?" She shook her head. "I haven't been to market in a while, I'm afraid. I've been rather busy with other expenses lately." Laria toyed with the teabag in the cup, silent for a moment. "Someone suffers, do they not?" Mystake tensed up a bit at her words, sighing. "As empathic as ever, aren't you?" Laria chuckled and took a sip of her tea. "A trait of my species, Mystake."

Mystake shook her head, glancing at the hallway to the back. "I found a child a few days ago in that nasty storm that destroyed half the forest. She's fairly young, about five years old I think." Laria frowned and listened to the worry in her voice. "May I see? I'm curious about why you worry so much." She got up and went to the back, carefully opening the door to the spare bedroom. Opening her mouth to speak, she immediately closed it when she saw the shaking child wrapped in bloody bandages from head to toe-aside from her mouth and nose. Turning to Mystake, she looked.. saddened. "The storm did this?" Her voice was a whisper, as though worried the child may hear them. Mystake nodded and looked to the side. "She was burned badly, I assume by a direct bolt of lightning to her back. I'm not sure how she survived..she kept saying she could smell the ocean breeze." Laria raised an eyebrow, shaking her head. "How strange, but..maybe she was hallucinating?" She watched the girl tense and try and relax, to no avail. "Did you hire a human physician?" Mystake nodded, but didn't seem happy about it. "..Is she going to die?" Laria frowned and watched her. "The doctor said her chances to survive were fairly slim, but..who knows?" She was silent for a moment, shaking her head. "It's a shame, she's not just in physical pain is she? Her heart is full of loss. Did you find anyone else?" The old woman shook her head and walked to the front of the shop, seemingly deep in thought. Laria caught up with her and carefully sat back on the stool at the counter, sipping at her tea. She paused, looking up at Mystake. "Can you not heal her?" Mystake paused in cleaning off the counter, shaking her head. "I'm afraid my magic is in teas, and I don't have the means to make such a tea of that strength. I don't know if it would even be safe for her."

Laria nodded and looked at the remaining tea in her cup. "I understand.." She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I never pegged you for a motherly type, Mystake." The old woman paused while she was looking over her many boxes of tea, shutting her eyes. "I suppose not, but this realm the First Spinjitzu Master created is quite lovely.. many of us oni treasure it and the life that resides in it. She is part of that life, you know. If she dies, she will not be cold and alone, and certainly not in pain. But if she lives, she will be taken care of. I won't cast her out on her own." Laria was silent for a moment, watching Mystake take a box down from the shelves. "The humans trust you..don't they? Oni love destruction, but you.." She chuckled and opened the box, putting a few leaves into a new cup and pouring some hot water from the kettle into it. "Strange, am I not? No..I get my destruction needs in other ways, and destruction isn't a constant need." Mystake paused, closing the box and putting it away to let the leaves steep in the cup. "I suppose destruction doesn't have to be violent, Laria. A fellow oni runs a tavern in the city..she used to be a deal making oni. Feeding on the destruction that came from taking the soul of the person who made a deal with her when it was over. She left that behind when she realized she could be free to do anything she wanted. Now she runs that tavern to shelter people of all kinds, no matter their troubles. She takes pride in protecting people." Laria nodded and finished the tea in her cup, looking at the tea Mystake had just made. "What is that?" Mystake shook her head and gestured to the back room. "A safe painkiller of sorts, it's time for another dose for her." She nodded and followed Mystake to the back room, watching her help the girl drink the tea. The old woman frowned when Laria didn't leave.

"Are you alright?" Laria nodded at Mystake's question, giving her a small smile. "Can I just sit with her for a little while?" She nodded and went back to the front, so she could clean the teacups. Laria carefully sat down in the chair next to the bed and watched the now calm child laying in the bed. "You've suffered quite a lot, haven't you?" She was unsure if the girl could hear her or not, but she kept talking. "You know... the least I can do is help you, yes?" She looked at her hands and then at the girl, carefully placing one of her hands on her bandaged forehead. It was a quick transference of elemental powers though it came coupled with exhaustion for both of them. Laria looked exhausted as she came out of the back room, barely able to stand. Mystake frowned and took her hand, trying to help support her. "Are you alright? What happened back there?" Laria lifted her head when Mystake spoke, seemingly confused by her question. "Hm? Oh I just..all you need to know is that she'll be alright." She sat Laria down on the stool, pouring her another cup of stabilizing tea. Mystake watched Laria in confusion, setting the cup down. "You didn't..." Laria chuckled and took a sip of the tea, not saying a word for a few moments. "I didn't what? I told you I was just sitting with her, Mystake. I merely talked to her for a few moments. You worry too much, you know?" She sighed and looked at Laria with concern. "I only hope you haven't done anything drastic, Laria. I know magic takes a lot out of you these days.." She frowned and put her hand on the siren's shoulder, merely worried about her. Laria shook her head and patted Mystake's hand. "I'm alright. Don't worry so much about me, hm?" She finished her tea and carefully stood up, coming behind the counter and giving Mystake a hug. "I will see you again, I promise." She frowned when Laria began heading to the front door, still a bit confused. "What did you do back there? I know you said you sat and talked to her, but.." Laria held up her hand, weak remnants of magic faintly glowing on her fingertips as she smiled.

 _ **"I merely gave her a parting gift."**_


End file.
